The Note, with a 1.4-gigahertz dual-core processor, has a Super AMOLED touchscreen, which Samsung says is more vivid and brighter than standard hi-def displays. The screen — large for a smartphone, tiny for a tablet — makes is easy to view websites, books and documents, but overall the phone is pretty thin at 9.65 millimeters.

It runs on Android’s Gingerbread operating system, comes with a stylus (did we return to the ’90s?) and has both a 2-megapixel front camera and 8-megapixel rear camera. With 16-gigabyte and 32-gigabyte versions, the phone will also support the various 4G networks: one model will support HSPA+ and the other LTE. But details are scant on pricing and timing.